I’m allied with Pride. June is Pride Month officially, and Kansas City is showing its true colors: that is, the rainbow colors of love for every human being on the planet.
In fact, we’re feeling especially international these days. For several years, the city and surrounding communities have been gearing up for FIFA World Cup matches to be played right here in our little city. The team from Argentina arrived a few days ago in the teeth of a tornado warning, with sirens blaring and trees bending every which way. “Exciting” weather rolls through here rather often, but rarely at this level.
Yesterday, under a calm sky, I rode the streetcar down to the riverfront, where the team has made its headquarters. Nearby is one of the game venues: CPKC Stadium, the beautiful home of Kansas City Current, a world-class women’s soccer team. Soon, Argentina will be joined, in various other training locations, by England, the Netherlands, and Algeria.
I’m certain that all the teams and all the fans about to arrive will experience KC’s legendary hometown hospitality (without the scary cloud formations)
These days, I spend way too much time with eyes glued to a screen: phone, iPad, computer. I watch reports from a goat farm in Scotland, dancing cats in costume, and a particular kitten named Kiki (always wearing cute clothes) who claims to protect her mommie from domestic disasters. My resident feline, Jane, tries to disrupt my internet addiction by sitting on my keyboard. Thank you, Jane, for your efforts to save me.
Another strategy I use to protect my mental well-being–whatever takes me away from doom-scrolling–is puzzles. My daily favorite is The New York Times Spelling Bee. I know a lot of words. I tackle Wordle, Connections, and Quartiles, all involving word play or word construction. Recently, I began to play Globle, a game of guessing a “mystery country.” For this, I must consult online maps to find countries I never heard of. This is educational as well as frustrating. My luckiest day, I found the mystery country in three guesses. Today? Twenty-three guesses! You’d be surprised how many countries exist, many of which show up as tiny dots in big oceans and do not have international futbol teams.
I’ve watched a great diversity of stand-up comedians as well. The shtick of stand-up comedy is, of course, to observe ordinary events of daily life and make them sound hilariously funny–and to do it with affection and respect, and not contempt, for other people. These days, sane people need all the humor we can find to pour light into the darkness.
I’ll wind down this ramble with a quote that popped out at me from a conversation between two New York Times opinion writers:
“Mindless optimism is the only antidote I know to rational despair.” –Bret Stephens.
Here is the entire conversation. (I hope this shows up as a gift link.)
My own optimism is not exactly mindless, although it may seem that way to some people. Day by day, I am buoyed up, and saved from “rational despair” in the face of current events, by the Spirit in which (or in whom) I live and move and have my being: the Love That Is. Unfailing. For everyone.
One Response
Very nice and uplifting piece! Something we all need these days.